


The Little Adventures of Katara (And One Giant Prince)

by Boogum



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Awkward Romance, Awkwardness, Crushes, Enemies to Friends, F/M, Friendship, Humor, Katara is tiny, Minor Mai/Zuko, Zuko wants privacy, cracky premise but actually has some substance, everyone wants to avoid Azula, pockets make good modes of transportation, reluctant allies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-17
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2019-11-21 15:05:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18143774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Boogum/pseuds/Boogum
Summary: In which Katara discovers that size does matter. Also, the real one in need of saving might just be her giant, grumpy protector.





	1. A Teeny Problem

**Author's Note:**

> Hey-hey, I'm here with another Zutara story. I started this last year and was originally going to make it a cracky one-shot and set it in S1, but I woke up one day going, "OMG, IT SHOULD BE S3!" And then everything changed (when the Fire Nation attacked).
> 
> (You all know you thought it.)
> 
> Ahem, in any case, here is the multi-chapter S3 version. Not really any warnings worth mentioning, except there will be some Maiko (for obvious reasons, as you'll see). Hope you enjoy!

Katara shifts with a sleepy sound and rolls onto her stomach. Silk brushes against her bare skin. Wait. Silk on bare skin? Her eyes snap open to a sea of red. No rock, no cave. She can't even hear Sokka's snores.

Panic seizes her chest. She sits up in a rush, only to freeze as she realises she is completely naked. Not a stitch of cloth remains. Even her hair is loose. Her heart thuds against her ribs and it takes all of her effort not to scream. She is naked in an unfamiliar place with none of her friends around her. This is bad. This is really, really bad.

There is a soft sound from her left. She swings around and her eyes bug wide open. A very large thing is sprawled on the sea of red silk. It is also moving. At first all she sees is a blur of colour: pale skin tones intermingling with red and gold. Then the thing sits up fully and she stumbles back a few steps. She is looking at a boy. A really, really huge boy. He towers over her like a giant even though he is sitting. Black hair falls in his face and he brushes the strands away as he raises his hand to rub his eyes. That is when she notices the scar marring the left side of his face.

"Zuko!" she growls.

His gaze zones in on her, albeit sleepily. Then his jaw drops and he blinks a few times.

She balls her hands into fists. "You—"

But whatever she is going to say is lost in a cry of rage. It doesn't matter that she is naked and probably smaller than his hand; the sheer craziness of the situation tells her that this has to be a dream. So she doesn't bother to cover herself. Instead, she charges and begins attacking every inch that she can reach of him. Which really means she is stuck kicking and punching one of his legs. If only she had her water to bend …

Zuko's brow creases. "Okay, this is really weird," he mutters.

She makes a frustrated sound and tries to kick him with all her might. He flicks her away with a single finger. She yelps and falls on her backside, legs flailing. Her face splotches with colour.

"I hate you!" she screams. "You evil, horrible—"

"Too weird," he says decisively. His frown deepens and he glances away while scratching the back of his head, ruffling his already messy hair.

"Hey!" She kicks him again. "Don't you ignore me!"

Ugh, the jerk isn't even listening to her. He is still frowning at the wall and mumbling under his breath about strange dreams and how he can't understand why she is tiny, let alone naked. He throws a sidelong glance at her, which she meets with a glare and folded arms. Pink dusts his unscarred cheek.

"Can't you put some clothes on or something?" he asks.

"You're asking me that? You think I wanted to dream myself naked in front of you? I wish I was bigger and clothed and had my water flask so I could make you pay for what you did!" Her hands tremble with building anger. "I can't believe I almost—"

"But this is my dream."

Katara blinks. "What? This is _my_ dream!"

They both stare at each other. He leans forward so that his huge face is looming far too close. She stumbles back a step, feet planting into a bending stance. The prince doesn't attack her; he just frowns before, very carefully, he touches her head with his fingertip.

She swats at him. "Don't touch me!"

His good eye goes as wide as it can go and he moves back, averting his gaze. Some of the colour drains from his face. "Hey," he says, voice thick with an emotion she can't place. "Do you know where you are?"

She casts a swift glance at her surroundings. Now she can see that she is in a room. A really huge room. The décor is all red, gold and ornate wood. It looks like the kind of thing she saw in the Earth King's palace, except more muted. Still, every bit of fabric and carving screams of wealth.

"I don't know," she says with a shrug. "I don't care either. Once I wake up, I'll—"

Zuko curses. Multiple times.

"What?" she demands.

"This is my room." He is still avoiding looking at her. "Do you understand what I'm saying? This is my bedroom in the Fire Nation palace." He clenches his hands into fists. "If this is your dream, how could you have imagined it in exact detail?"

"Well, I—"

"And if this is my dream, why wouldn't you know that you were in my bedroom?"

"That's just—"

He groans and places his hands over his face. "This can't be happening."

Her heart thuds against her ribs. She wants to laugh and tell him he is crazy for thinking that this is real, but the awful twisting in her stomach whispers that what he says makes a sickening kind of sense. That also means she is now very tiny and very, very naked.

Cheeks burning, she snatches at the silk sheet and holds it up against her body. "No way!" she cries. "There's no way this is real! Just look at me! How can—"

"Then you tell me what's going on!" His face emerges from his hands, except where she is pink, he is pale. Only the wounded discolouring of his scar stands out. "None of this makes sense! Why are you like this? Why are you here?" His eyes meet hers, flickering with too many emotions to unravel. "Why with me?"

She can only open and close her mouth. She has no answers. Neither of them do.

Zuko groans again and flops against the bed so he is lying on his back. She stumbles a little from the motion. Ugh, being this tiny sucks.

"Watch it!" she snaps.

He drapes his arm over his eyes. Jerk has gone back to ignoring her and muttering under his breath.

Katara gathers more of the sheet around her and stomps up to him. "Hey!" She kicks him again. " _Hey_!"

He doesn't even twitch. That's when she realises just how vulnerable she is. She can't fight him like this. She can't fight anyone. Worse, if he's to be believed, she's now stuck in the Fire Nation palace, the very heart of her enemies.

She is in every sense of the word screwed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really do have a penchant for writing stories about characters who undergo some kind of body transformation. Oh well, it's fun.
> 
> Anyway, if you've read I Don't Speak Meow Language, you'll notice I'm using a similar style. Chapters will be short and have a more slice of life feel. It's the only way to stop this from turning into another Zuko's Tiny Dilemma. (I've learnt my lesson.)
> 
> Until next time!


	2. A Reluctant Protector

Zuko did not sign up for this. He did not ask for a tiny, naked girl to be dumped into his life. He definitely did not ask for it to be Katara. There is history between them, and every glare and futile kick she throws his way is a reminder of that: the crystal-lit catacombs, her offer to heal his scar, the fight, the Avatar struck with lightning and her tear-streaked face …

No, he did not sign up for this. He had wanted to forget all about Ba Sing Se and move on with his life, thank you very much. But there is a tiny, naked Katara in his bedroom. He is also very conscious of the fact that Awful Things might happen if he doesn't try to help her.

He sighs and rips a portion off cotton from his sleep shirt. She lingers on the edges of his bed, eyes narrowed and watching him like a little hawk hybrid about to peck him to death if he makes the wrong move.

"What are you doing?" she asks.

He ignores her and makes three holes in the cloth with his firebending, then rummages around under his pillow until he finds the tie he'd removed from his hair the previous night. "Here," he says, offering her the items.

"What do you mean 'here'? What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Uh, wear it."

He can't quite hide the sarcasm in his voice. Is she an idiot? Why else would he hand her a scrap of cloth and a tie?

She turns her nose up at him. "You expect me to wear this?"

"Would you rather keep wearing nothing?"

Colour spreads all over her cheeks. She clutches the blanket tighter to her chest and gives him a look as if he's the most perverted creep ever. His own face grows warm.

"What?" he snaps. "I'm trying to help you cover up! And not that I have to explain myself to you, but I have zero interest in seeing you naked."

She actually looks offended. "Why? You have a problem with the way I look? Is it because I'm Water Tribe? Is it—"

"What? No! I mean I barely know you and right now you're tiny. You're like smaller than my hand. That's _weird_."

"Oh."

His face is too hot. "Girls," he mutters. "Why are you even getting so worked up about this? Do you _want_ me to look at you when you're naked?"

"No! No, I do not!"

"Well then."

They both glare-blush at each other. It is awkward. This whole situation is awkward.

He turns away to give her privacy. "Just put it on. At least it's something for now."

"Fine. Don't look."

"I wasn't going to."

His back is facing her, but he can almost feel the dagger-scowl she throws at him.

After a few moments of rustling cloth, she informs that she's decent. He turns back to find he did a pretty good job of gauging where the head and arm holes should go. The tie she's knotted around her waist also works to keep the whole thing together.

"I'm not going to say thank you," she declares, raising her chin. "And don't think this changes anything between us! I still hate you."

He doesn't point out she kind of just did thank him in a roundabout way. He's not even surprised that she's all prickles and mistrust. If their situations were reversed, he'd be just as suspicious and on edge.

"Look," he says in what he hopes is a reasonable tone, "we need to—"

But he freezes when he hears his sister's voice. Azula is terrifying the servants again, and it sounds like she's heading this way.

"Don't make a sound!" he hisses.

"Wha—"

He snatches Katara up, covering her mouth and all, and stuffs her under his pillow. Azula barges into his bedroom a second later. The whole conversation is a blur. Of course, it's the same old calculated remarks to keep him on his toes, but he's too keyed up with nerves to focus on the specifics of what either of them say to each other. All he can think is that he absolutely cannot let his sister know about his tiny bedroom guest.

Azula's brow furrows and for the first time she loses her sharp smile. "Are you alright, Zuzu? You're acting … weirder than usual."

"I'm fine."

She looks him up and down (he uses his arms to cover where he ripped his shirt) and then to his rumpled bed.

"Did you actually want something from me?" he says with a forced bite of impatience. "Or did you just come here to make sure I have an unpleasant morning?"

"So grumpy. I hope you don't act that way around Mai."

"Mai doesn't barge into my room in the mornings when I've barely woken up."

"That would be quite the scandal."

His cheeks warm. "Can you just leave already? It's not like I invited you here."

"Very well. I only stopped by to say hello. I'll be busy today, you see. Father has some things he needs me to do."

It's a parting stab to Zuko's pride. He's only had one audience with Father since he got back and has been barely acknowledged since then. His fingers curl into his palms as he watches her smile and leave the room.

Katara emerges from the pillow. "You didn't tell her about me?"

"Obviously not."

"Why?"

His brow creases. "Would you rather I had?"

"No. I just … I thought you would."

"I wouldn't trust my sister with a turtleduck, let alone you."

Her eyes widen, though the scowl is soon back in place and her hands find her hips. "Oh, really? Because you looked pretty eager to team up with her back in Ba Sing Se. You know, when you lied and said you'd changed."

"I didn't lie, and I have changed."

"Right. I suppose you're also going to tell me you didn't help your sister shoot Aang full of lightning."

He folds his arms across his chest and looks the other way. Fine, yes. He may have helped his sister to bring down the Avatar, but that was a one-time thing born from desperation. He does not make a habit of turning his back on those in need. Right now, this prickly girl needs him.

"Look, I know you don't trust me," he says. "I get it. I do. But you're here and you're"—he makes an awkward gesture at her size—" _that_. So until we can figure out what the heck is going on and sort out a way to get you out of here, I won't let anything happen to you. Okay?"

She continues to give him the hawk-eyed, death-peck glare.

"Hey, I'm being serious."

Her lips purse but the glare does not falter.

"Ugh, alright! If it helps, I had no idea my sister was going to strike the Avatar with lightning. I just thought we were going to capture him."

The glare still does not falter. If anything, it gets colder.

He makes a frustrated sound. "You know what, forget it. If you don't want my help, fine. I didn't ask for this anyway. I'll just go call Azula back and—"

"No!" She holds out her hands in panic. "No. I don't think we need to bring your lightning-happy sister into this."

"Then what do you want?"

She bites her lip. There's a war going on in her mind, that much he can tell, but he just stands there grumpily and waits for her verdict.

"Okay," she says in the most grudging voice ever. "I guess I don't have a choice but to accept your help for now."

Zuko can't say he's impressed with this acquiescence. She has no idea what he's risking just by offering to help her. He could be imprisoned for this. He could be _killed_. But he also can't bring himself to turn his back on her. Maybe it's guilt for what happened in Ba Sing Se, maybe it's just the fact she's so tiny and defenceless. Either way, he decides he really hates having a conscience.

"Alright," he says. "We have a truce then."

"Fine."

She holds out her hand. He frowns until he realises she's offering to shake on it. He crouches down and offers her his finger. It's the most ridiculous thing ever, but she shakes his finger with all the solemnity of a general signing a ceasefire.

Truce made. Now he just has to figure out how to help her without either of them getting caught.


	3. Moonlit Reprieve

Katara sleeps curled up on the table. (Rather uncomfortably, it must be noted, but pride made her refuse his offer to have a corner of his bed.)Still, she manages to sleep well enough—until there's too much pressure on her body and she lets out a shriek. Zuko sits up lightning-fast and flames burst to life above his palm. She's now standing on the floor, shreds of tiny fabric gathering around her feet. He blinks. She blinks. Then he slaps his palm over his eyes, colour spreading in waves of heat over his cheeks.

She is once again very naked, but this time she is not tiny.

Her face burns all the way to the tips of her ears, and she clamps her arm over her breasts. "Don't look!"

"I'm not!"

She glares suspiciously at him, but he still has his hand over his eyes. It seems being a pervert is not one of his crimes.

"Um …" His voice is thick like there are cricketfrogs stuck in his throat. He coughs to clear it. "I guess you're all fixed."

She blinks again. That's true. A smile splits her face and she's tempted to happy dance, but her brain still has enough sense to remind her she's naked and in Prince Zuko's bedroom. This is not the place for happy dancing. She settles for expressing her delight in a more restrained way, and he—hand still covering his eyes—offers her the blanket to wrap around herself. Now they can face each other without turning into human beetroots.

"Alright then," he says with determination. "Let's get you out of here."

She looks him up and down. "You still want to help me?"

"I already said I would."

"Yeah, when I was a small. I'm stronger now and more of a threat. For all I know you'll just turn on me again."

He places his hands on her shoulders. "Look, I said I won't let anything happen to you. I still stand by that."

Something flutters in her stomach. His hands are big and warm against her bare skin, and the way he looks earnestly into her eyes is oddly mesmerising, like the glow of candlelight in a dark room. Then she realises she's gawking and she steps back. "Whatever," she mutters, averting her gaze. "I'll kick your butt if you try anything anyway."

"If you say so."

"I would. You don't stand a chance against me at night."

He rolls his eyes. "Wait here. I'll get you some proper clothes."

"You expect me to let you go by yourself?"

"Uh, yeah."

"But—"

"Trust me, Katara."

She bites her lip. Trust is earned after all, and he hasn't earned hers. Their truce was born from grudging desperation at best. Still, she gives him a nod and he hurries out of the room. This time, she'll just have to hope he sticks to his word.

oOo

The tunic and pants he gives her are too big. She grumbles, but he points out it's better than wearing a blanket. Fair point.

Things get more awkward when he says they're going to climb out of the window and use the walls and rooftops to leave the palace. There don't appear to be any footholds—at least not the kind she can use. She ends up clinging to his back, legs locked around his waist. It is mortifying (because this is way, way too close, and she feels like a child being carried), but at least he doesn't make any dumb comments. He's pretty business-like about the whole thing. Even so, it's a relief when she can go back to using her own two feet. It is not so much of a relief when she accidentally kicks a loose stone and catches a group of guards' attention.

"Hurry," Zuko hisses, rounding on her. "Back up the wall."

"There's no time."

He curses. Her heart thumps and thumps and thumps. The guards are almost on them, torchlight getting closer, threatening to ruin all. Maybe that's why she seizes Zuko's face and kisses him full on the mouth. He makes a muffled sound, but her grip only tightens when he tries to pull back.

Light falls on them in a bright glow. Katara freezes, lips still mashed against his.

"Ah, it's nothing," one of the guards mutters.

There are a few chuckles and whistles, but the guards don't come any closer and soon the group has moved on.

Katara releases him and steps back. Zuko's expression is in shadow, but she can see he now has his hand over his mouth.

"What the heck?" he whisper-hisses. "You kissed me!"

"I panicked."

"So you _kiss_ me?"

"It worked, didn't it? They left us alone and they didn't recognise us."

Zuko lets out a little groan. "I can't believe you just did that."

"It's not like I wanted to."

He is not comforted by this. In fact, he seems quite content to act like some outraged maiden from a theatre act. Katara gets more and more annoyed. What is it with boys acting like her kisses are the harbingers of doom?

"Oh, grow up," she snaps, shoving him in the chest. "I only kissed you to save our skins. Trust me, I wouldn't put my lips anywhere near you otherwise."

Zuko opens his mouth to respond, but there's a small pop and Katara is suddenly lost in fabric. She glances up at the very giant prince. Both sigh and press their palms to their foreheads. So much for returning to normal.

"I'll take you back to my room," he says in a weary tone.

Katara can only nod in resignation.

oOo

She stays tiny for the rest of the night and all the next day. Once again, however, she is woken by her body deciding to get big. Zuko suggests they wait in his room this time to see if she will stay normal size. She doesn't.

By the third night, they have worked out that she always grows big at midnight and the length she can stay that size seems to be about an hour.

An hour is not long enough to get back safely to her friends.

"There has to be a way to change back permanently," Katara says.

"Don't worry. We'll figure it out."

She glances up at him in surprise. Though she doesn't want to admit it aloud, she's grateful for his optimism.


	4. In Which Zuko Wants a Day Off

She starts to warm to him—briefly. Katara, he learns, doesn't like to be left in his room. She doesn't like that he can come and go as he pleases while she cannot. In fact, it ticks her off to no end. She isn't patient either, so he's soon subject to constant nagging about her predicament.

"Have you found something yet?" she asks over and over until the question is like a nonstop echo in his head.

Then there are the more dreaded demands for him to take her with him as he goes about his day. He knows she's bored, frustrated, and thinks she can do a better job of finding a solution, but that doesn't change the fact it's risky for her to be out and about. If someone saw her, they'd both be in Big Trouble. Like get-locked-up-forever-in-prison or public execution kind of Big Trouble.

Needless to say, he is relieved when Mai sends a message that she wants him to visit. Zuko can finally get a break from Tiny Nag (and all the extra worrying and awkwardness that is her packaged deal), and just be a teenager spending some quality time with his girlfriend.

Mai is in a good mood when he arrives. A very good mood. Zuko hasn't breathed a word about how he has a girl living in his bedroom and that she kissed him. (He fretted a lot about whether the kiss meant he had cheated, but he tells himself it doesn't count since Katara forced it on him and there had been no romantic feelings on his part. Just a lot of flustered surprise.) Still, he knows Mai will be pissed if she finds out, and right now he's not in a hurry to spoil her mood.

They make out on her sofa, hands exploring and getting a bit more daring than usual. His pulse is thunder in his ears and a drumming beat through his veins. His heart pounds and pounds. Every touch is tingles and fire.

"Do you want to …"

Her voice is breathy, but the actual meaning of her words doesn't hit him—not at first. He's too caught up in a daze of passion and hormones. She shifts underneath him, cheeks flushed and her hair falling out of its style. The expression in her eyes is shyer than normal but very full of want.

"What?" he finally manages to say.

"Do you want to … you know … try ..."

His eyes widen to the size of saucers. "W-wait, you don't mean …"

Her blush darkens and she toys with the waistband of his pants.

Holy fireflakes. She actually means it.

"Um." He swallows, heart thudding frantically. "N-now?"

"Yes now, idiot."

He swallows again. Their bodies are already pressed as close as two people can be, but she's offering more, and the thought of doing that with her makes him a bit lightheaded. He moistens his lips. "I … um, okay."

They're not as smooth when they kiss again. He feels jittery with nerves and teenage excitement, and he thinks she might feel the same. Still, when she starts kissing his neck in the most sinful of ways, he relaxes into the moment—at least until his gaze falls on the tiny girl trying to climb off the sofa.

Zuko shoots up with a yelp, almost elbowing Mai in the chin.

"What?" Mai says in alarm, but he grabs her face before she can turn around.

"N-nothing. It's nothing."

Her lips thin and her eyes take on that unimpressed bite he knows so well.

"I, uh, just … need to use the toilet."

" _Now_?"

He nods and scrambles off her, quick to snatch Katara up in his hand and hold the tiny girl behind his back. "I'll be back soon."

"Zuko, are you—"

"Just give me a sec."

He flees into the adjoining room and closes the door with a snap. Then he plants Katara down on a shelf and his eyes narrow. "What the hell?" he hisses.

"Hello to you too."

A string of curse words bubble to his tongue, but all he manages to get out is a strained, "How?"

"I hid in your pocket. It's not my fault you didn't notice."

He groans and places his hands over his face. "I can't believe this. I can't believe you're here right now."

Her lips purse and she folds her arm. "Well, maybe it's a good thing I did come. Now I see why you can't figure out a solution for me. You're too busy getting it on with that floozy."

"Mai is my girlfriend—"

"Oh, _girlfriend_."

"—and she's not a floozy—"

"Could have fooled me."

"—and we weren't getting it on."

Katara arches her eyebrow.

His face gets hot. Very, very hot. He once more hides behind his hands. "Ugh, why did you have to come here?"

"Upset I ruined the mood?"

He glowers at her through the gap between his fingers. She is enjoying his humiliation too much. Then he notices her gaze keeps darting to his exposed chest (he can't actually remember when his robe or undershirt got untied), and a bit of colour dusts her cheeks. Huh, that's weird. What has she got to be embarrassed about? She's not the one who had a spectator to her first fumbling attempts to lose her virginity.

Zuko turns away from her, still muttering under his breath about how he can't believe this is happening. He jumps when Mai calls out and asks if he's okay.

"Fine, fine. Everything is fine!"

"Look … we don't have to, you know … do anything more. If you want to take things slower, we can—"

"It's fine, Mai!"

Except it's not at all. He sighs. This is such a mess.

"You'd better not go back in there to finish what you started," Katara says, jabbing his arm ineffectively with her finger. "I do _not_ want to watch that."

"Like I want you to watch us." He shudders at the thought.

No, unfortunately it seems he will have to cut his time with Mai short.

Zuko scowls at Katara for good measure before he holds his hands out in a cupping motion to her. "Hurry up then. I'll take you back to the palace."

"I want to find a library or archives or something."

"You don't get to give any demands."

She folds her arms again and taps her foot against his palm. "Hey, I—"

"No." He presses his thumb to her face, though gently. She still gets pushed back a step. "You shut up for now. I don't want to hear it."

"So grumpy."

Zuko gives her a long, hard look. It takes all his patience not to go on a rant about why he has every right to be exceptionally grumpy since she snuck into his pocket and cockblocked him on the one day his girlfriend wanted to go further and he really, really wanted a distraction from everything.

"Just stay in my pocket and don't talk," he mutters.

Mercifully, Katara listens to him for once.


	5. Getting Comfortable

She leans back against the side of the bowl and moves her hand so her bathwater moves in lazy loops and shapes. Every now and then, she shoots a glance at Zuko. He's sitting with his back to her and is reading a thick book. Not that they'd started this comfortably with each other. She used to demand he leave the room (and he was more than happy to), but then a servant had walked in one time and almost discovered her, so they'd decided it was safer if he stayed. Zuko always keeps his back to her anyway.

"The water is getting cold," she complains.

"That's usually a sign you should get out."

"Don't want to."

"You've been in there for ages."

"Have not."

He sighs and she knows he is rolling his eyes. "Waterbenders."

She flicks water at him. "I heard that."

"Maybe I meant you to."

Still, without glancing back, he extends his hand behind him. She stands up in the bowl and grabs his hand, guiding his fingertip into the water. A second later her makeshift bath is nice and hot, and steam is rising around her.

"That's better," she says, releasing his hand and sinking into the water.

"I hope you turn into a prune."

Katara pokes her tongue out at him.

They sit in comfortable silence, broken only by the trickling laps of water as she shifts or the rustle of paper.

"What are you reading anyway?" she asks.

"A book."

"I can see that, but what?"

"Just a book."

She rolls her eyes. "Thanks for that enlightening explanation."

"It's a book of folk tales," he says, turning a page. "You know, spirits and curses and stuff. I thought … well, given what's happened to you, maybe it'd be worth reading."

Her eyes widen. He is really going to read that giant book for her? Something warm and fluttery stirs in her stomach. She leans forward, resting her arms on the edge of the bowl and propping her chin on top. All she can see of him is his back, but it is a very nice back.

Wait, what?

She shakes her head to shrug off the confusing thought. "Anything interesting so far?"

"There's the usual stories about people trying to revive dead loved ones. Oh, and a story about a prince who got de-aged to a six year old because of a misinterpreted wish."

She pulls a face. "I don't know what's worse. Being tiny or being a kid again."

He grunts noncommittally, more concerned with questioning her on whether she made a wish.

"I didn't make any wishes," she says. At least she doesn't remember doing anything like that.

"Well, I guess that rules out wishes gone wrong."

He goes back to reading and she goes back to enjoying her bath. Once she is suitably relaxed, she steps out of the bowl and bends the water off her and out of her hair. She dresses in one of the clean outfits made from his shirt.

"All done," she declares.

"Took you long enough."

His tone is grumbly, but the warmth in his eyes is belying. Her stomach does that odd flutter thing again. She clears her throat and moves closer, trying to get a look at the book. A thick book about spirits is sure to not give her confusing flutters.

"Hold it lower so I can see," she says.

"This will be easier."

He picks her up (gently) and places her on his lap. Not her first choice of a seat, but he's right that she can see the pages clearly now since the book is resting on his thighs. She settles more comfortably and leans back against his stomach. They're both quiet as they read together, him turning the pages when she directs.

"So, did you and your floozy do it yet?"

Zuko chokes on his own spit and ends up coughing, even as his face goes red as a beetroot. Katara snorts.

"I told you that Mai is my girlfriend," he manages to get out, "and since I'm always looking after you, no. We have not."

Katara isn't sure why she's pleased. She knows that Zuko's relationship is none of her business, but the thought of him being with that gloomy knife girl still rubs her the wrong way. "What do you even see in her?" she can't help but ask.

"I've known her nearly my whole life."

"And that's a reason to date someone?"

"No, but …" He scowls, still with hints of a blush. "We're not having this conversation."

"Fine."

They continue reading, but the silence is much less comfortable.

oOo

Katara wakes up, as she always does at midnight, to find she's her normal size. She sighs and shifts under the blanket. Sleeping in the bed is working out much better. So is forgoing her tiny clothes. Albeit, it does mean she ends up sleeping naked, but this is the most pragmatic option. Besides, deep down she knows she's safe with Zuko. He's got an eyeful of her body more than once and has never done or said anything to make her feel uncomfortable.

She rolls onto her side and looks at his shadowed outline. He sleeps on top of the blankets, well on the other side of the large bed. Plenty of room to ensure no touching.

A smile peeps out on her lips and she closes her eyes again. She still hasn't forgiven Zuko for almost getting Aang killed, but she can't deny she is beginning to trust him—just a little.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The tale about the de-aged prince is a reference to my fic, _Zuko's Tiny Dilemma_. If you have not read that one and are enjoying this story, you might want to check it out.
> 
> Also, please don't take Katara's attitude towards Mai as an indication of my own. I love Mai as a character, but Katara (as should be obvious by now) is developing a wee crush on Zuko. She can be a bit petty at times about these things.


	6. A Moody, Gloomy Lump of Blah

Zuko has been so caught up in trying to help his tiny guest that he almost forgets what a mess his life has become. Almost.

The reminders hit when Azula is called to speak with their father but he is not. They hit when he's paraded before crowds like some figurehead prince who's just there to fill the space. No real responsibilities, no real trust, no real agency. The whole situation makes unpleasant, wriggly things knot up his stomach. It reminds him of the fragility of his position, because the title of Prince Zuko still has the bitter aftertaste of _once-was-banished_.

He thinks of how Azula lied to their father, claiming that he had been the one to kill the Avatar. He thinks of Katara, the special water she'd used to carry, and how she doesn't seem all that grief-stricken.

The Avatar probably isn't dead, but Zuko hasn't dared to ask for confirmation. He tells himself it's because Katara will get all worked up again with mistrust. In his heart, however, he knows that's just an excuse.

Being home is like balancing on a house of cards, and he already knows what it feels like to fall.

oOo

"Hey!" Katara pokes his leg (the merest tickle). "I want to go out."

It's not the first time she's demanded he take her outside, and ever since she turned up in Mai's home, it's also not the first time he's capitulated to her wishes. He understands she gets sick of being cooped up in his bedroom. Plus, right now he has no energy to remind her of the dangers.

He settles her in his robe pocket and walks at a speed where he won't jostle her too much. A servant asks if he needs anything, but for the most part he might as well be a ghost. That works in Katara's favour; it doesn't make him feel any better.

Eventually, they reach the hilltop that overlooks the ocean. Hardly anyone comes here. Katara makes satisfied noises as she stretches her arms and runs her fingers along the grass. Zuko lies on his back, hands clasped behind his head, and gazes up at the sky.

"You're quiet today," she observes.

He makes a noncommittal grunt.

She continues to chatter, but his thoughts drift. It's hard to focus when everything inside him is churning worry and confusion. It's the insistent tugging on his hair that brings him back to the present.

"What?" he snaps.

She releases his hair. "I should be the one saying that. What's with you today?"

He sighs and drapes his arm over his eyes.

"Hey!"

She climbs on his chest and marches for his face. He could brush her off without a sweat, but she's so small and he's too conscious of how easily he could hurt her. So he puts up with the fact that he has a tiny girl walking all over him. Stranger things have happened.

"Don't ignore me," she says, and then her voice softens and she lowers her gaze. "I … I thought we were, you know …"

His brow creases.

She huffs and folds her arms. "Anyway, you shouldn't ignore people when they're talking to you."

"You wanted to go outside. I brought you outside. Isn't that enough?"

"Not when you're acting like a moody, gloomy lump of blah."

He averts his face and chooses to maintain a dignified (sulky) silence.

"Zuko," she says more gently, "what's wrong? Did something happen?"

He rubs a hand over his face. "I just have a lot on my mind."

"So talk to me about it."

He almost laughs, albeit humourlessly. Aside from Mai (who doesn't do heart-to-hearts, but is wonderful at offering much-needed distractions), it seems the only person in the Fire Nation who cares about his emotional wellbeing is a girl who is still technically his enemy.

_Uncle would have cared._

The reminder makes his fingers twitch and curl into his palms. He hasn't seen Uncle since the catacombs. It was easier to stay away. Easier to tell himself that he made the right choice in Ba Sing Se, the _only_ choice.

But doubt is a thorn that can't quite be ignored, and all the confusion that plagues him is tangled with something that feels a lot like shame.

He closes his eyes. "Forget it. You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

"Really. Just forget it."

She sits cross-legged on his chest, folding her arms like she's about to start a sit-down protest. "No can do."

His brow furrows.

"If you really don't want to talk about whatever is troubling you, I won't push you, but I can't forget about it. I won't." She holds his gaze, and there is passion and conviction in her voice, in every aspect of her being. "I don't look the other way when a friend is unhappy."

His eyes widen. "You … you consider me a friend?"

Pink blossoms on her cheeks. "I mean … you have kept your word to help me, and spending time with you is not as bad as I thought it would be …"

Warm. That's how he feels in that moment. Warm in his chest, his heart. He still remembers how she screamed that she hated him, how she'd always hate him for helping his sister to take down the Avatar, yet here she is saying she sees him as a friend.

He doesn't deserve it. He doesn't deserve any kindness from her, but he doesn't want to draw a line between them again either.

Fact is, he likes spending time with her, too.

"Zuko?" She tilts her head.

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"I think I needed a friend today."

She smiles—widely, freely. It occurs to him that she is very expressive with her emotions. He can read everything she thinks and feels on her face. It's oddly reassuring. He never has to second guess with her.

"So, do you want to talk about what's troubling you?" she asks.

He shakes his head. He doesn't want to ruin this moment, this friendship. Mai and Ty Lee have always been Azula's friends; he was just the older brother who got forced to play with them sometimes. But Katara chose him. She's his first _real_ friend. It means more to him than he's willing to admit.

"How about we head back and hit the books again?" he suggests.

"You sure?"

A nod.

"Alright then."

He scoops her up into his hands and gets to his feet. On the way back, they talk about spirits and theories and whatever else comes to mind. They talk like it's the most natural thing in the world. When she snuggles into him as they read the fat book of folktales together, he can't help the soft smile that tugs at his lips.

Yes, he has been caught up in trying to help this tiny girl, but he's also glad now that she stumbled into his life. There are so many things that trouble him—things about his family and the nation he calls home. Things he doesn't know how to smooth because it seems like everything he fought for will fall apart if he tries. But when he's with her, even though she's a reminder of a time he'd rather forget and her very presence is a danger to them both, the crippling sense of helplessness that weighs his shoulders seems to ease.

She makes the ground under his feet feel a bit more solid.

"What?" she says, catching his gaze.

"Nothing. Just thinking of something."

She doesn't push the matter, and they both go back to reading. Zuko thinks he could get used to this.


	7. Truants

Katara sits on Zuko's shoulder, nestled against his neck and half hidden by his hood. She can't see properly when she's in his pocket, and for this she wants to be able to see. Today, they have come to the night markets. (She managed to persuade him to sneak her out of the palace.) The smell of food is everywhere. Spices she doesn't know but which flavour her tongue with every breath, tickling and tantalising. Various meat and fried things. There's even little sweets that look soft and squishy as clouds. It's so different. Everything is noisy and coloured in shades of red, an echo of a night where people had worn masks in a colony town and bright colours had left trails of flames.

"I want to try those," she says, tugging on his hood to direct him to a stall where meat on sticks and other snacks have been put on display.

Aside from being curious to try all the things, she knows it's one Sokka would get excited about. She misses him, misses all of them, but Zuko's company helps to take the edge off. He's not a bad tour guide either.

It's his first time exploring the markets (princes aren't supposed to mix with commoners), so he's just as curious to look around. He also knows the customs and the food, and he's happy to explain anything for her. It's just … kind of nice. Like being with Sokka and the others, but also not. True, a part of her does feel like she's betraying herself somehow, betraying her people. She's in the Fire Nation and having fun. She's surrounded by people who should be enemies, but at the same time … they're just people.

She's beginning to understand that. Accept that.

But that doesn't change the fact Fire Lord Ozai and his army needs to be defeated.

Zuko takes her onto the rooftops, up, up, up until they're looking over the capital city and they can see the palace. He came prepared and lights a few small candles for them. She wriggles free of her hidey hole in his hood, sliding down his cloak so she can sit next to him. Then they munch on their hoard of snacks. Or at least she tries her best. Most of the food is bigger than her.

"That one is spicy," he warns when she moves towards an innocuous looking ball of meat drizzled in red sauce and little flakes.

"I'm sure I can handle it."

He shrugs.

She tries to take as big a bite as possible. Too bad her mouth is tiny. All she gets is a mouth of hot, hot, hot. Tears prickle her eyes and she spits out the food.

Zuko lets out an amused snort. "I did warn you."

"How can you _eat_ this? Are you even human? It's like eating fire." Her face screws up but she leaves her mouth open, tongue sticking out in a feeble attempt to cool down the sensations of burn, hell, and mistake. "Ahhh, make it stop."

He fishes around for the fruit drinks he'd got them and helps her to take a sip. It still burns, but it's better than before. To avoid a repeat performance, she makes him explain the different levels of spiciness. Just saying it's spicy, she points out, means nothing to someone from the Water Tribes. His mouth twitches, but he directs her to the food that'll be more to her taste. It's not long before she's sprawled on her back, hands resting on her very full stomach.

"Being this tiny sucks," she groans. "I couldn't even finish everything."

"I'm not complaining. Means more for me."

She tosses a bit of wrapping at him. He holds her gaze and his movements are extra slow as he pops another spicy meat ball into his mouth.

"Your smug looks are wasted," she says, scrunching her nose. "I don't want those nasty things anyway."

"Weak."

"What?" She surges up, only to groan and clutch her stomach. "Ohh, don't make me move. It hurts."

He throws his head back and laughs, unrestrained. Katara bites her lip so she won't smile. His laughter, rare as it is, is infectious.

"It's not that funny," she grumbles.

"I disagree. You should see yourself."

She throws another piece of wrapping at him. It flutters pathetically and doesn't even hit him.

He looks from the wrapping and then to her, his eyes warm and brimming with amusement. "Do you need me to move closer?"

Her heart trips like a clumsy dancer. There's winged things fluttering around in her stomach and grazes of heat colour her cheeks. (Because holy seal jerky, the way he looks at her like that with his hair falling in his eyes and a teasing smile on his lips hits her hard. Real hard.)

"You're such a jerk," she responds, though her tone has no harshness.

His lips do that little twitch thing again, but he merely suggests they head back to the palace.

"Not yet. I don't want to move."

"I'm going to carry you anyway."

"That's worse. Do you _want_ me to be sick on you?"

He sighs and stretches out on his back next to her. "Fine. We wait."

Katara settles into a more comfortable position. Stars wink above them. They're content to be silent, and her eyelids droop as a wave of drowsiness hits.

That's when the pressure slams.

She yelps and is suddenly much, much bigger and much, much too naked. Zuko is quick to close his eyes.

"What the heck?" he exclaims, shrugging off his cloak and holding it out to her. "Why did you change back?"

"I don't know! It just happened!"

"But it's not even midnight."

She tugs his cloak on, holding it close to her body. A tap to his shoulder lets him know he can open his eyes. Then they just stare at each other, both chewing on their bottom lips.

"Do you think the curse broke on its own?" she asks. "Maybe I'm all fixed now."

"That would be great, but …"

Her shoulders slump. "You're right. After what happened last time, better to be safe."

"We can wait here for now. See if you switch back. It'll be difficult to get to the palace like this anyway. I'm too recognisable, and you're …"

"Naked. I know."

They both fall silent. It's really, really awkward. She almost misses being tiny.

"At least it's warm," she muses.

He makes an odd sound like a stifled snort. When he makes it again, her eyes narrow.

"Are you laughing at me?" she demands.

"Katara, we're on a roof waiting to see if you'll turn small because you'd be charged with public indecency if anyone saw you in that get up, and now you're discussing the weather."

A tiny smile quivers before she lets out her own snorty giggles. The whole situation is indeed ridiculous. No one would ever believe her if she told them what she and Zuko got up to. It's thanks to him the experience is mostly bearable as well. (Yes, they run into a lot of awkward, but he never stares or makes gross, suggestive comments.)

"Hey, Zuko," she says, once their laughter has subsided.

"Mm?"

"Thanks … you know, for not making this weird."

He exhales and relaxes on his back once more. "Don't mention it."


	8. Oh No

"Zuko."

He stirs from his doze, though his eyes are still shut. "Mm?"

"It happened again."

One eye squints open. It's still pretty dark, so he has to spark a flicker of flame to see. She's swallowed up in his cloak, head peeping out from the mass of fabric. She looks like a tiny, dispirited owl-kitten. Keyword being tiny.

He palms a hand over his face and sits up more. "Sorry."

He knows how much she was hoping for the curse to be broken.

Her bottom lip trembles and she looks the other way. There's a small, distinctive sniff. He gives her space, waiting until the sniffs subside before he suggests they head back to the palace.

"Okay," she says thickly.

She hides herself in his pocket and he slips the cloak on as carefully as he can so as not to dislodge her.

"Hold on tight," he says.

Then he jumps.

oOo

He gets forced into training and lessons for most of the next day. By the time the moon gleams into being, both he and Katara are no closer to figuring out why she got bigger before midnight. Was it an anomaly? Are the curse rules just not as static as they thought?

In hindsight, he supposes they should have been more careful.

She's sitting on his lap and reading the book of folk tales with him when the change happens. Zuko yelps and shoves her off, flinging the book away while he's at it. His heart is racing and his eyes are squeezed shut. Holy fireflakes. He'd just had a naked Katara on his lap.

"Ow," she complains. "You pushed me on the floor."

A wince. "Sorry. I … panicked."

"Well, can you panic with less force next time?"

Heat flares on his cheeks. There are a lot of things he wants to say in response, but all he does is tug off his sleepshirt.

"Woah, woah. Why are you taking off your clothes?"

"Because you're naked and—"

A knock at the door. "Prince Zuko?"

Zuko curses under his breath and throws the sleepshirt in what he hopes is Katara's direction. "Yes?"

"Princess Azula is—"

"Oh, enough of this," his sister's voice says, damningly clear and sharp. "Out of my way."

His eyes snap open in horror. Katara has only managed to shrug the shirt on, the whole thing gaping and open, but there's _no time_ and he can't think beyond panic, panic, panic, so he just snatches her up into his arms, hauls her onto the bed, and yanks the blanket over them. "Not a sound," he whispers.

She catches on quick and wriggles down to try fit in a flat little huddle between his legs. Heart pounding, he sits up more and bends his knees to raise the blanket to help hide the shape of her body. That's when the door bursts open.

"Zuzu," Azula greets.

Zuko's heart thumps and thumps and thumps, but when he speaks his voice is a growl. "What? I asked not to be disturbed tonight, so what do you want?"

"Oh, I know. I just …" Her head tilts as she takes in his rumpled hair, bare chest, and the fact he's already in bed. She glances around the room. "I thought I heard voices before."

"That was probably me."

Her eyebrow arches. "You?"

"Yes."

He doesn't bother to explain more. The less he says, the better this will turn out. He hopes.

She frowns and looks him up and down in that shrewd way of hers. His heart thumps faster when her gaze pauses on the blanket all bundled around his waist and legs. Oh no.

"Ah," she says, scrunching her nose. "I see I've interrupted your _alone time_."

His face burns. "W-what? No. I was just—"

"Spare me, brother. I'll leave. We can talk later."

The door clicks shut behind her. Zuko blinks. Not how he expected things to go, but he'll take it.

There's a muffled giggle from under the blanket.

"Shh," he hisses. "She might still be listening."

Katara sits up, letting the blanket fall off her. "Oh, I don't think so. Not if she truly thinks you're doing what she suspected."

His face flares in a fresh wave of heat. "Whatever. The important thing is she's gone and …"

Oh.

_Oh._

Her long hair is loose and ruffled, and she's holding his sleepshirt closed over her naked body. She's also kneeling between his legs. He swallows and his pulse quickens for a very different reason. Katara has gone just as quiet. Her eyes are wide and she moistens her lips.

Crap.

He scrambles off the bed. "You know, I think I should, um, go find what my sister wanted to talk about. She'll just come back later otherwise."

Katara nods frantically. "Okay. I-I'll wait here."

"Okay."

He marches for the door.

"Wait," she says.

"Y-yeah?"

"You're, um, still not wearing a shirt."

Splotches of colour warm his cheeks. "Right. Um, you keep that one. I'll … I'll get another one."

He makes his escape with the tips of his ears burning.


	9. Ozai Plans a Vacation

"Can't you get out of going to Ember Island?" Katara demands as she watches Zuko pace up and down in front of her.

"I tried."

"Well, try more!"

He runs his hands through his hair, grabbing fistfuls. "You don't understand. My father is not giving me a choice. Even Azula doesn't get a choice."

"What do we do then? What am _I_ supposed to do?"

He releases his hair, leaving it mussed and sticking up everywhere. Their eyes meet and she can see her own worry in his eyes. Though she still stays in her tiny form during the day, she's taken to switching to her normal size the moment the sky turns dark and the moon is up. Staying in the palace without him would be a huge risk. (Not to mention she'd have no way to get food or water.) Joining him on the forced vacation to Ember Island wouldn't be much better.

A groan escapes him and he slumps onto the bed next to her, almost unsettling her tiny body from the motion. "This is a mess."

"Tell me about it."

"Maybe we could—no, that won't work." He collapses onto his back and presses his hands to his face, making frustrated sounds. "Think, think, think …"

There's a knock at the door. "Prince Zuko. Your, uh, training will start soon. We have your clothes prepared."

Zuko leaps off the bed, curses spilling from his tongue. "I've gotta go."

"But—"

"We'll talk later."

She sighs and flops onto her back. Just great.

oOo

Zuko is late.

She's thrown on one of his sleep shirts and sits on his bed, glaring at the door with her arms crossed. Her stomach rumbles. The snack stash is gone, and he's the one who's supposed to bring her dinner.

"We'll talk later," she says in an exaggerated imitation of his voice. "When's later, huh?"

Her grumbling stomach is the only response.

She sighs and sprawls on his bed like an otter-starfish. Gets up and practises waterbending forms. Stomps around a bit before throwing herself back on the bed. There's a restless energy in her that won't be settled. She knows it's not just from boredom. The prickly, twisty thing in her gut niggles whenever he's away from her too long.

_What if he's with the floozy?_

She groans and slaps her hands to her cheeks. "The floozy is his girlfriend. Let it go."

Except she can't. She can't because sometimes her heart skips and stutters when he looks at her. Because he's her friend and they can laugh and talk so easily, and there's a selfish, petty part of her that _doesn't want to share_.

She bites her lip and rolls onto her stomach, reaching out to hug the pillow to her chest. What if he really is with the floozy? What if … what if they're kissing and … _things_.

"No." She smooshes her face into the pillow, eyes squeezed shut. "Don't think about it. Don't think about them. It's none of your business, and he's just a friend anyway, and—"

The door opens.

Katara whirls around and sits up, still clutching the pillow and with her hair falling in her face. She puffs out a breath to blow the strands away from her eyes. "You're back."

Zuko presses the door shut behind him. "Sorry I'm late."

She wants to ask him if he was with the floozy. She really, really wants to. (And even examines his hair and clothes to look for the tell-tale signs of rumples and grabby hands, but everything from his boots to his topknot seems tidy and perfectly in place.) She relaxes her grip on the pillow.

"I hope you brought food," she says.

"I did."

He settles with her on the bed, though he keeps more than an arm's length of space between them. He's been doing that ever since she'd knelt between his legs, face inches from his and laughter dying on her lips. Or at least he does it when she's her normal size. He doesn't seem to care about personal space when she's tiny.

Zuko pulls out the wrapped food from his pockets and leans forward to hand them to her. The fact she also has to lean over just to grab the food only emphasises the skittery distance he's keeping.

This is awkward. And ridiculous. Just because she finds him kind of attractive and doesn't like him with the floozy doesn't mean she's going to do _anything_.

She uncurls her leg and prods him with her toe. "Oi."

He twitches. "What?"

"Stop being weird."

_"What?"_

Another prod. "You heard me."

His unscarred cheek dusts with pink and he rubs the base of his neck, looking the other way. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Except she thinks he does, because he soon shuffles closer and his posture relaxes. Hurrah. The gap between them is no longer lava.

"Hey, Katara?"

"Mm?" she says, too busy chewing on her dinner to give a better response.

"I think you're going to have to come with me to Ember Island."

She chokes and almost spits out her food. "Are you crazy?"

He shakes his head and lists all the reasons for why it's the best option, along with how they can make it work. She knows he's right, but still.

Azula will also be on this trip. So will the floozy.

Ugh.


	10. Smells like Teen Drama

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the wait! Things are a little frantic for me at the moment (leaving my job and moving countries in less than 2 weeks, yay!), so it's hard to keep the muse focussed.

Arms slip around Zuko's waist and a warm body presses against his back. "I wouldn't recommend it," Mai says, low and amused.

He stiffens and breaks the embrace, quickly spinning around to face her. "Huh?"

"Jumping off the ferry. It's a long way to swim back."

"Oh, I wasn't—"

"I'm just messing with you, idiot." She leans next to him against the railing. "Though you're not exactly being subtle about not wanting to be here."

"It's not that …"

It's the fact Father didn't give him a choice. It's the fact he's never been a good liar, he swore he wouldn't let anything happen to Katara, and they're about to spend a mini vacation at Li and Lo's beach house with Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee. (And the two old ladies, he supposes, since they're acting as chaperones.)

Mai grips his sash and tugs him closer, hips brushing against his. "Relax. I'm sure we can find a way to make this trip enjoyable …"

His breath catches. She's using the bedroom voice on him, the one that always leads to the best kisses.

Wait. She's using the _bedroom voice_ on him and Katara is in his pocket.

He frantically removes her hands from his sash and steps back. Something flickers in her eyes. She stands tall and straight, and her expression blanks like a slate wiped clean.

"Or not," she says flatly.

A sinking in his stomach. "Mai, I … I didn't mean it like that."

"Oh? Like how you haven't been avoiding me either?"

"I haven't. I swear I haven't. I just—"

"Have been busy." She folds her arms. "So you keep saying."

He wants to thunk his head against the pole. This conversation is fast spiralling towards an argument, and he is conscious of the tiny girl in his pocket who is no doubt listening to every word.

"You know, Zuko, sometimes you can be such a jerk."

Mai heads for the other end of the boat without another word. He groans and this time he does thunk his head against the pole. Now his girlfriend is mad at him again. Just great.

oOo

They get settled in at the beach house. It's smaller than he expected and smells like old lady, but he still gets his own room. Perks of being the only guy.

Azula leans against the doorframe as he unpacks. "I think that's a new record for you," she says.

"What are you talking about?"

"The fact you pissed Mai off before we even got here."

He scowls. "Shut up."

"She's right, though. You have been rather secretive of late."

He stiffens and throws her a wary glance. Has his sister been spying on him?

A smile curls her lips. "I know it's difficult for you, Zuzu, but try to be a little smarter. People will get suspicious if you keep hiding away and going off on your own."

"Is it so bad to want some space and time to myself?"

"It is when not so long ago you were a traitor with a bounty on your head."

His fingers curl into his palms.

"Just try not to be such a dum-dum." She pushes away from the door. "Or at least get better at lying."

oOo

Katara emerges from his pocket the moment he's shut and locked the door on the pretext of getting changed. "Finally," she says. "I was dying in there."

"Sorry."

He offers her some water. She gulps it down, using her bending so she won't spill.

"You remember the plan?" he says as he tugs off his shirt.

Her gaze drifts over his chest. "Hm?"

"The plan."

"Oh." She blinks and looks back at his face. "Yeah. I remember."

His brow creases. Had she just … been checking him out?

Katara clears her throat and looks the other way. "But are you sure this is going to work? Sounds like your sister plans to keep a closer eye on you. Might be difficult to slip off on your own."

That's true …

"Plus, you'll just make your floozy grumpier if you don't do something soon to make it up her."

A frustrated huff. "For the last time, Mai is my _girlfriend_ , and she wouldn't even be mad at me if you—"

He clamps his mouth shut. Too late.

Katara lowers her gaze. "If I wasn't here, right?"

He bites his lip. She doesn't sound mad, but somehow the edge of guilt in her voice makes him feel worse. He knows this is rough for her, for all she tries to stay positive. She doesn't need him blaming her for his relationship problems.

"Zuko!" Ty Lee calls from the other side of the door. "C'mon, we're heading to the beach!"

"Give me a sec!"

He sighs and runs a hand over his face. This is already turning into a mess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just need you all to know that I hate writing love triangles and relationship drama, and I seriously don't know why I do this to myself. Big ugh.
> 
> Next up: Katara does her best to put aside her jealousy and help Zuko woo Mai. Cue shenanigans.


End file.
